Do I need to eat more?

Just started bodybuilding about a year ago. I am not looking to hulk out, just to get stronger. Not looking to be Ahnuld. More like Nate Marquardt.

Because of that I have been limiting my calorie intake to under 2000, and also focusing on protein. I am taking creatine, whey, multivitamin, and soon testopro. I have stayed a steady 170 lbs, but have gone up by 50 lbs on my bench. I wouldn't mind putting on a bit more weight, but I want to make sure its muscle, not fat.

I work out about an hour a day 6 days a week. I can't really beef up my time, because I have some other stuff I have to do. To busy. So, if I start eating more, will that help with my muscle gain, or merely make me fatter?

I work out about an hour a day 6 days a week. I can't really beef up my time, because I have some other stuff I have to do. To busy. So, if I start eating more, will that help with my muscle gain, or merely make me fatter?

Your in the gym enough. Make sure you are incorporating the right exercises into your gym time. Don't worry about looking like Arnold.. Its going to take a lot more than a few months let alone a few years to end up looking like him. The guy above me has some good advice. Just make sure to avoid junk foods if you don't want to gain the body fat. Don't forget about your cardio either.

Righto. Sounds good. I am looking into adding some more boiled eggs and stuff as snack food. Its high in protein and I like them, also low in fat. Also has choline in it which I am thinking about adding to my supplements list. Thanks for the advice.

It is not going to come to how many calories you are taking in but it mainly depends on your macros your are having. I would like to see the macros of what you are following right now. I am sure some of us on here could offer some useful information.

It is not going to come to how many calories you are taking in but it mainly depends on your macros your are having. I would like to see the macros of what you are following right now. I am sure some of us on here could offer some useful information.

it'll depend somewhat on how many calories, but yes the macros are more important.

Maintenance is around 2500 cals for a normal person. What is your approximate BF percentage and body type? You should at the least up you cals to 3000, with a good combo of fats, carbs and protein. You know your body and you know how easily you can gain fat with a change in diet, and if you don't, you should. The more mass you add, the more carbs, fats and protein you will need to consume to maintain and continue to build upon.

For macros, not sure the exact percentages, but I would say probably 60% carb 10% fat, and 30% protein, though thats really just pulled out of thin air.

I am about 5'9" and weigh about 170. Don't know exact bf. I don't generally change weight that much, even when I cut out alot of calories, or when I work out and add more. It just sorta shifts between fat and muscle percentages, but always the same weight.

What you really need to do is find your maintence calories its dependent on each person but im guessing yours based on height and weight is like 2400-2800 theres a few calculators online you can use to find the exact calories. Now maintence calories are really important because when you start a bulk or a cut you know where you need to adjust your cals to either cut about 300 cals or add some more. And personally id add more good fats to your diet.

if you have a fast metabolism like me, you gotta eat eat eat and oh yeah eat. i started off at 130 pounds 2 years ago, and now im 190, for the most part natural lols. but i eat about 3000 calories a day, and yeah you need your fats, carbs, and proteins like all these guys said. just go for the good sources of fat, carbs, and protein. if you dont get your carbs and fats from burger king everyday and eat alot of food to build muscle, you will grow with minimal fat gain. you are what you eat

the average american consumes 3450 cal a day, your trying to gain weight on to a 170 pound frame. This will require almost 4200 cal a day, you will have to ramp it up for your 2000 cal stomache to handle the load. Your also gonna need 375-425 on protien, and 255-300 on the carbs. I do know this for fact, as i just got out of the 170's and am now 183 and gaining.

Thing to eat while bulking, red meats, un satd. fats, yams, cruciferous vegitables, cottage cheese(i eat a tub a day 2 cups, and most of it before bed), i do drink 2 weight gainer shakes(instead of protien shakes), and i add casein to the one before bed. I have a huge bag of raw mixed nuts i snack on all day as well, i usually eat a metrix MRB instead of sweets(althought im a sucker for licorice, at least it only contains corn syrup, better than sugar), bananas to help with the water weight, and sodium levels. I will get up to 190 natty and then its another big bulking cycle, i should see 200, by summer.

Right sounds good. The whole reason I have been limiting my calor intake is because I am not as lean as I would like. But like I said, I am new to this. After looking around, I guess the thing is to bulk up first and then see where that takes me.

It is not going to come to how many calories you are taking in but it mainly depends on your macros your are having. I would like to see the macros of what you are following right now. I am sure some of us on here could offer some useful information.

it'll depend somewhat on how many calories, but yes the macros are more important.

Seriously people?

Steroids aside, (Food) energy drives anabolism - period.

Yes macro ratio has some influence on how many effective calories your body gets but it pales in comparison to total calorie intake. Pick a reasonable ratio and then stick with it and then a calorie becomes a calorie.

To the OP, as others have mentioned, you need to eat whatever YOU require to meet you growth goals. It could be 3000kcals it could be 4000kcals. The only way to know is to start counting and then watch the scale and the mirror.

its through experimenting that we learn what works for our bodies. I used to bulk and eat pizza and stuff, and I would get fat. Then I cleaned it up and started eating oats and wheat breads and sweet potatoes. I still got fat.
I started carb cycling, and that's what works for me personally.

You'll have to try new things and just figure it out. People don't get the bodies they want overnight.

Okay. Thats what I am planning on doing. How do I know if its just going to be stored as fat, instead of muscle? Like I said I want stronger, not flabbier.

I would suggest getting a body fat tester. You can either buy calipers or the electronic kind. Calipers are probably more accurate, but it takes some practice to do correctly and the test takes a couple minutes to do. The electronic testers cost a bit more but the results are instant. However, I think they are of questionable accuracy and can be effected by lots of factors. However, if you do the test at the same time every day, you'll get a consistent reading and can use this as a guide.

I have calipers and also an Omron electronic body fat tester. You can get them off Amazon for about $35.

Also, it's a bit of a pain, but try keeping a food log. Write down what you're eating and how many calories (and what type) and add it all up at the end of the day. I did this recently and was surprised to learn that I was consuming way more carbs than I actually thought.

Yeah cool. Looked up the stuff on carb cycling and got some good ideas. Also, I will check and see if the gym I go to has some calipers, since they do have a full health center, its part of a university, so I imagine they have people training for that.

Also, it's a bit of a pain, but try keeping a food log. Write down what you're eating and how many calories (and what type) and add it all up at the end of the day. I did this recently and was surprised to learn that I was consuming way more carbs than I actually thought.

This is the best advice out there. Get a digital food scale and keep a log.

Weight management is about adjusting portions, quantities, and calories. If you are not tracking this then you are just guessing. The range for getting it correct is somewhat small (500 calories) and is very easy to blow it by guessing wrong.